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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26114890">When no one else was looking</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pichitinha/pseuds/Pichitinha'>Pichitinha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>To All the Boys I've Loved Before (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, LJ POV, Not Beta Read, Romance, movies are watched and there's some mention to love simon that could potentially have spoilers, the letters exist but they were never sent, they meet several years after school and yk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:22:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,435</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26114890</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pichitinha/pseuds/Pichitinha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lara Jean is out with her coworkers when the night takes an unexpected turn and Peter Kavinsky is there to be the hero of the night.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <i>Her jaw literally drops for a second.</i><br/><i>"Peter?"</i><br/><i>It's been some years since she last saw him during their high school graduation, but the man beside her is definitely one Peter Kavinsky.</i><br/><i>"Hey, Covey," he replies with an easy smile.</i></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Kavinsky/Lara Jean Song-Covey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>320</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You found me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello my angels!!!! ok so since i joined the fandom i somehow managed to post at least one fic every month (march, april, may, june, july) and i love patterns so i was not about to let august slide! i've had this thing started for weeks (months, maybe) but didn't manage to find a missing piece - this weekend i did and voilà! this was somewhat prompted by "person A pretends to be person's B partner in a bar so a stranger will back off" but it really was just the base of the idea bc that's not what happens here, you'll see. anyways i hope you'll like it!</p>
<p>title is from the song <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/3Y559CUvfRO8SpJD7Rs1TX?si=cefQp06CT3u5NBok75xjNg">you found me</a> by <b>kelly clarkson</b> bc i think it fits and it's lovely!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Lara Jean says yes to her colleagues invitation to go to a bar for a few drinks after work, she thinks that the most awkward part of the night is gonna be be trying to maintain a conversation with Liam, the newest employee of their office who is the shyest person she has ever met - and she's including herself in this.</p>
<p>As it turns out, though, she's wrong, because tonight seems to be the night where everything that can happen, will happen - the strangest the better.</p>
<p>For starters, she gets hit on by two girls. She's very flattered, albeit flustered, because they are truly gorgeous and she isn't sure <em>why</em> <em>her</em>, but regardless it does boost her ego a bit. The first one insists on buying her a drink even when she says she's really not interested, so she's sipping on a fresh new drink when the second one approaches her and offers one as well, but she just backs off when Lara Jean puts her down.</p>
<p>From them on, it just gets weirder. She's coming out of the bathroom when she sees Matthew and Leslie making out in the corner and everyone knows they hate each other so it's unsettling to say the least. She walks past it and pretends not to notice it.</p>
<p>The next thing is more worrying than weird, per se, because there's a guy trying to hit on her who simply won't quit and she's really uncomfortable. She tries to stick with someone from the office but they are all in several stages of drunkness - she is too, a bit - and they keep moving and talking to people and the guy seems to be paying attention to when she's alone to keep trying.</p>
<p>She shuts him down several times but he doesn't quit, and at some point she manages to move to the end of the bar where it's a bit more secluded, hoping he won't find her.</p>
<p>She feels a tap at her shoulder and turns around, but there's no one there. When she turns back, he's there with what she thinks is meant to be a charming grin, but to her it just reads <em> creepy </em>.</p>
<p>"Hey! Thought I lost you for a second."</p>
<p><em> If only </em>.</p>
<p>He's leaning his elbow on the counter, almost cornering her, and her throat goes dry. She's actually scared now.</p>
<p>She tightens her grip on her glass that's been resting on the counter and pulls it closer to her so she can maybe drink it slowly and have some seconds to think of an exit strategy.</p>
<p>But then, the weirdest thing of the night so far happens, and someone knocks the drink out of her hand - literally. It falls to the floor while some of the liquid spills on her pants and she makes some outraged noise, more out of shock than anything.</p>
<p>"What the fuck, dude?" the guy that's been after her asks and she finally looks back at him and then at the person who knocked her drink.</p>
<p>Her jaw literally drops for a second.</p>
<p>"Peter?"</p>
<p>It's been some years since she last saw him during their high school graduation, but the man beside her is definitely one Peter Kavinsky.</p>
<p>"Hey, Covey," he replies with an easy smile, contrasting heavily with the frown that he had when looking at the creepy guy.</p>
<p>"You know this asshole?" The guy asks her, gesturing angrily at Peter and that's when he puts himself in front of Lara Jean, between her and the guy, and even from this angle she can see the furious features on his face.</p>
<p>"Don't think I didn't see you putting something in her drink, so I'm not the asshole here you fucking pervert."</p>
<p>Lara Jean's eyes widen. The tap on her shoulder had probably been him, distracting her for just a few moments, enough for him to spike her drink. She brings her hand to Peter's arm, holding it nervously.</p>
<p>"I didn't do shit, we were just talking and you are interrupting."</p>
<p>She grips tight on his arm then, tries to let him know that's not true. He obviously knows it, but he definitely gets her hint.</p>
<p>"Dude, seriously, just back off. Go home before I do something dumb," Peter says and his voice is higher now. Lara Jean definitely doesn't want him to do anything dumb.</p>
<p>The guy laughs with debauchery. "What, you gonna hit me?"</p>
<p>Lara Jean just feels the arm she's holding moving as his fist meets the guy's face. She yelps in surprise and covers her mouth, and the guy grunts in pain, his nose bleeding.</p>
<p>She's about to grab Peter and try to back off but the guy lunges forward and hits Peter as well.</p>
<p>They each manage two more punches before the people around manage to restrain them, and Peter kicks him one last time before he's pulled out of reach.</p>
<p>"This dickhead is trying to drug girls, get him out of here!"</p>
<p>They do throw him out but keep holding Peter all through it. She's sure that the only reason they don't push him outside too is the fact that she has both her hands clawed on his arm and she's sure she looks terrified because she <em> is </em> - they can probably see her shaking.</p>
<p>One of the guys holding Peter back looks at her and she nods a little. They let him go but the bartender tells him to go home.</p>
<p>She doesn't dare let his arm go, too frightened, but he softly loosens her hands, his eyes comforting her, and drapes his arm over her shoulder, leading her outside.</p>
<p>They check once they're on the door, but the guy isn't out there anymore. They step outside and the fresh air finally takes Lara Jean out of her stupor.</p>
<p>Peter moves his arm until his hand is on her shoulder and they're facing each other. He looks worried.</p>
<p>"Are you okay, Lara Jean?"</p>
<p>She nods because she is, she's just really shaken by what happened, but she's fine.</p>
<p>"Thanks to you, yeah," she says and then it hits her. If he hadn't been there she would have probably been drugged. And then worse. "Jesus, he tried to drug me!" She's panicking again.</p>
<p>"Hey, hey, he's gone, you're safe." He holds her other shoulder too and grounds her. "It's messed up that things like this happen, but right now you're safe. I'm here."</p>
<p>She nods. He's here. They haven't seen each other in a lot of years, hadn't really been friends before that either, but he's here.</p>
<p>With a bloody nose and several bruises and cuts, she notices when she finally faces him.</p>
<p>"Oh my god, you're hurt." She reaches to his face, lightly, but he still flinches a bit.</p>
<p>"It's nothing," he dismisses it quickly.</p>
<p>"It's not nothing." She makes him look back at her. "Thank you, Peter, really. If it hadn't been you..." She sighs, trying not to think about it. "Let me help you clean that up. It's the least I could do."</p>
<p>He looks torn for a moment. "You really don't have to-"</p>
<p>"Please?" She doesn't want to add what she's thinking because she wants him to go with her so she can repay him somehow, but she does because it's true and because she knows that'll convince him. "I'll feel safer if you go with me."</p>
<p>His eyes change immediately. "Ok, yeah, of course. I'll call an uber."</p>
<p>"Absolutely not, I'm calling the uber."</p>
<p>He tries to protest but she's already pulling out her phone and he does too but stops once he realizes he needs her address.</p>
<p>"I'm slipping you money somehow," he says when a driver confirms and she smiles a bit at that.</p>
<p>"You've done enough."</p>
<p>He softens his whole expression and moves just a tiny bit closer.</p>
<p>"You think I'd let some creep take advantage of the first girl I ever kissed? No way."</p>
<p>She can feel her cheeks burning. Of course he remembers that. She forces out a nervous chuckle.</p>
<p>"Thanks." She looks back at the bar and realizes none of her coworkers saw what happened, probably. "Just gonna text the people I came with to let them know I'm leaving."</p>
<p>Peter nods and she turns away a bit to text the office group chat. She just says that she found an old friend and that they're leaving. That'll probably spark some questions, but she'll worry about it later. It's friday and they'll all probably only be sober enough to deal with it tomorrow afternoon.</p>
<p>Their uber arrives soon enough and Peter sits on the passenger seat just in case, she sits right behind him. They're quiet all the way to her place.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Come on in, make yourself comfortable," she says once she opens the door to her apartment and keeps it open for him to pass by her. "Please ignore the mess, I'm not the best with organizing."</p>
<p>He raises his eyebrow as he looks around, as if he was ready to say there was no mess until he actually saw the place. "Out of respect for you inviting me to your home I won't make any comments."</p>
<p>She laughs and feels better about the state of chaos in her living room. Margot is always telling her to clean after herself, but it's not like she gets many visitors. Now she sees her sister might have a point.</p>
<p>"Thank you for your kindness. I'm just gonna change real quick and then we'll look into your nose, ok?"</p>
<p>He dismisses her with his hand, distracted by her decoration. "Don't worry about me, the blood is dry anyway. Take as long as you need."</p>
<p>She rolls her eyes and moves quickly, out of her room in a loose shirt and slippers in no time, leaving only her jeans on because she only has pajama shorts clean and she's not wearing them in front of Peter Kavinsky.</p>
<p>"Come on, I keep my first aid kit in the bathroom."</p>
<p>"Covey, I was a lacrosse player, I've seen worse," he complains but follows her nonetheless.</p>
<p>In the bathroom she takes her kit out of the cabinet, bigger than a normal household one because her father is a doctor who made one for each of his daughters with a lot more than necessary. Peter's eyes widen at it.</p>
<p>"Don't worry, I'm not gonna perform surgery on you, I just keep it all in the same place." She places it on top of the sink as he positions in front of it, and grabs a cloth which she wets with warm water. "Just gonna clean the blood first, ok?"</p>
<p>He nods and leans down a bit so it's easier for her to reach, which she's thankful for because he has many inches on her. She's focused on the bloody parts of his face, not a pretty picture if she's being honest, but she can feel his eyes burning into her face.</p>
<p>It's weirdly intimate, dabbing the wet cloth lightly onto his skin, trying to soften the dried out blood without hurting him. They have to be pretty close for that and that's probably the closest Lara Jean has been to Peter since their first kiss during spin the bottle all those years ago - which was much faster than this whole ordeal.</p>
<p>"Ok, now I need to actually clean it with soap. I have a special one here that my dad uses, shouldn't burn too much but it's gonna sting a bit."</p>
<p>He nods, eyes still on her, and she finds herself staring back into them for a while. "I'm a big boy, I can handle it."</p>
<p>She gulps and diverges her gaze. She gets a new cloth and wets it again in warm water, putting some of the liquid soap on it. Once again she touches his face slowly, but as she scrubs a bit to really get the blood out, he hisses then tries to hide it.</p>
<p>She can't help but smile and quip back. "Thought you were a big boy?"</p>
<p>He's the one who gulps now and she feels oddly satisfied. Once she's happy with the result she instructs him to throw water on his face to fully finish washing it and he hisses again when the warm water hits his face.</p>
<p>"Shut up, Covey," he says before she can say anything and she giggles. He follows right along.</p>
<p>"Let me see," she asks while touching his chin and turning his face to hers. "Oh, there, told ya. Underneath all that blood, more bruises and cuts."</p>
<p>He rolls his eyes and takes the towel she's offering to dab the water off his face. "It's nothing."</p>
<p>"I am taking care of it regardless."</p>
<p>He smiles and waits as she rummages through her kit.</p>
<p>"So, what brings you to New York?" he asks eventually as she's getting some healing paste to put on his cuts.</p>
<p>"I don't even know, to be honest. I just always felt that New York was the place I should be? I'm still trying to figure it out, actually."</p>
<p>He nods as if he understands, but then makes a face when she approaches his face with the paste on the tip of a stick. "What the hell is that and why does it smell like it's rotten?"</p>
<p>"It's a healing paste. I'm not sure what's in it, but my dad gave it to me for cuts and whatever and it's honestly magic, it'll take half the time to properly heel."</p>
<p>"Do we really need it, though?"</p>
<p>"Man up, Peter."</p>
<p>"Sexist!"</p>
<p>She laughs and so does he, and in his moment of distraction she gets the paste on one of the three cuts.</p>
<p>"Aha! Got it. Not so bad, see?"</p>
<p>He blinks, once again looking at her eyes. "Yeah, not too bad."</p>
<p>She works in silence through all the cuts and once she's happy she goes back to her kit.</p>
<p>"What about you? Why New York?"</p>
<p>"Same as you, I guess. Although I did get into law school here so I moved for that, but then I just sort of stayed. I like it here."</p>
<p>That makes her forego the first aid kit for a while and look back at him. "You're a lawyer?"</p>
<p>He smiles shyly and crosses his arms. "You don't have to sound so surprised."</p>
<p>"Oh God, no, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean-"</p>
<p>He shakes his head and laughs. "It's ok, I get it, not the career people expect out of jocks. Lacrosse did pay for my college tuition, I went to UVA on a full scholarship, so I'm very thankful for it, but it was always a temporary thing."</p>
<p>She nods, awed. "That's very impressive, Peter."</p>
<p>He flashes her his signature Peter grin, the first of the night, and suddenly she remembers why everyone in school had a crush on him - even her, at some point. "Why, thank you. How about you, what do you do?"</p>
<p>"Oh." She remembers their reason for being there and turns back to her kit, getting some tape to put on top of his cuts to protect them from outside dirt. "I'm a journalist. I actually moved here considering a master's program in journalism but then I got a job and it was good and I just- never got around to it."</p>
<p>"Huh, a journalist. I can see that for you, I remember you were always reading and the teachers all loved your essays and projects."</p>
<p>She bites down a smile. "Good memory, Kavinsky."</p>
<p>He bores his eyes into hers. "We studied together for like eight years, Lara Jean, I remember a lot about you."</p>
<p>That gets her speechless for some reason and she just finishes with the tape before going back to find a soothing lotion for his bruises.</p>
<p>"So, are you in contact with anyone from school?" she decides to ask as it seems like a fairly neutral topic related to what they'd been discussing.</p>
<p>"I am, actually, with a few of the guys. We're all in different cities now but we're always texting. You remember Trevor, right?" She nods because they'd been in the same group of friends when they were younger. "Yeah, so I still talk to him, Greg and a couple other guys." He stops talking as she applies some lotion on his bruises and seems to consider if he should say something next or not. "I was still with Gen for a while after school, but we broke up pretty soon after we started college. For good."</p>
<p>Lara Jean nods because she knows that. "Yeah, I know. I'm still friends with Chris, she told me back then."</p>
<p>"Oh, that's nice that you're still friends. How's she?"</p>
<p>She snorts. "Very Chris. Travelling all over, doing voluntary work and gigs and just being weird and herself."</p>
<p>"Synonyms," Peter provides.</p>
<p>She laughs. "Yeah, fair. Ok, we need to clean the blood inside your nose with some cotton swabs, can I or would you rather do it yourself?"</p>
<p>"Ugh, no, please do it. Be careful!"</p>
<p>"Have I not been an excellent caregiver so far?" she asks with raised eyebrows.</p>
<p>He gives her a soft smile. "Ok, touché. Are you friends with anyone else from school?"</p>
<p>She nods and moves the damp swab to his nostril and he contorts his nose as if he's Samantha from bewitched. It's irrevocably cute and she tries to focus on the task at hand. "Remember Lucas Krapf? We got close during junior year, me, him and Chris, and we're still pretty tight."</p>
<p>Peter has his eyes closed as she works on his nose and gives the tiniest of nods to not disturb her task any further, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah, I remember him, very nice and super funny."</p>
<p>"Yep, that's Lucas."</p>
<p>She finishes with the swabs and grabs his chin to turn his face from one side to the other, inspecting it.</p>
<p>"I see the doctor genes are in there somewhere even if you chose a different path," he says once she's satisfied and closes off her kit, putting it back in the cabinet.</p>
<p>She can't help but smile. "Yeah, I guess so. Growing up with a doctor as a dad does that to you."</p>
<p>They move out of the bathroom and Lara Jean points to the couch. "Uh, do you wanna stay a bit? We really should put some ice on it."</p>
<p>He nods without a second thought and sits down as she moves to the kitchen. She's not sure what possessed her to ask Peter to hang out with her but the ice thing is true and she's just paying him back for what he did, right?</p>
<p>He gets the ice pack from her hand as she sits on the other end of the couch. "For the record I think this is unnecessary, but I've decided to follow all of your medical instructions."</p>
<p>"Smart decision."</p>
<p>He leans his head a little and presses the ice pack on this nose. He hisses and groans, before looking at her with just his eyes, head still in the same position. "No comments."</p>
<p>She shrugs and smirks. "Would never talk down to my hero of the night."</p>
<p>He smiles and they stay quiet for a few moments. "Wanna watch something?" he asks looking at the TV, and then for a second his eyes widen before he’s back to normal and looks at her with an easy smile. “Y’know, since I’m here.”</p>
<p>She shrugs because tonight has been weird enough, they might as well, right? It’s the first time in many, many years that she sees Peter, the first time in over ten years that they actually speak, and now he’s on her couch with an ice pack on his bloody nose. So, yeah, they can watch something.</p>
<p>“What are you in the mood for?” she asks as she grabs the remote from the small coffee table.</p>
<p>"It's your place, you pick."</p>
<p>"You're the guest, you pick."</p>
<p>"Lara Jean," he warns in mockery.</p>
<p>"Peter," she does the same.</p>
<p>"Ok, fine! But that's not fair, if we're watching a movie I like we have to watch one you like, too."</p>
<p>She gulps. "You wanna stay for the duration of two full movies?"</p>
<p>His eyes widen and he sits up straighter. "Right, of course, that was rude, I don't wanna impose or-"</p>
<p>"No, no, it's totally fine!" she says because it actually is. She kinda wants him to stay. "You can totally stay, I'd like the company. Just thought you might have other plans."</p>
<p>"Nope, especially with a broken nose."</p>
<p>"It's not broken."</p>
<p>"You don't know that!"</p>
<p>"Just pick a movie!" They laugh as he gets the remote and searches before smiling.</p>
<p>"Ooh! Fight Club! You down?"</p>
<p>"What's it about?"</p>
<p>He turns to her so fast his neck makes a cracking sound. "You've never watched Fight Club?" She denies. "Covey, it's a <em> classic </em>. Okay, we're watching it. Buckle up."</p>
<p>She makes an exaggerated sound of frustration and leans back on the couch. "Ok, alright, for your 'broken' nose."</p>
<p>He grins. "That is actually very fitting to the movie."</p>
<p>"I figured, it's called <em> fight </em> club."</p>
<p>"Touché."</p>
<p>He presses play and as the studio logo comes up she looks at him from the corner of her eyes. He’s leaning his head against the back of the couch so his nose is elevated, ice pack still firmly pressed against it. She reaches behind her for the pillow she usually leans against and offers it to him.</p>
<p>“Here, for your neck.”</p>
<p>He gives her a thankful look and adjusts the pillow before lying his head on it, face slightly turned so that he can see the TV completely and press the ice on the other side of his nose.</p>
<p>She settles against the other corner of the sofa and stares more openly at him, now distracted by the TV. His features are softer now and she can get a better look of the angles on his face. He’s still just as handsome as he was in high school, more so now actually, with his defined jaw covered by a neatly trimmed beard.</p>
<p>She’s caught off guard when he looks at her, a smirk forming on his lips. “Covey! Pay attention to the movie, you can stare at me later.”</p>
<p>She blushes and turns to the TV immediately. From the corner of her eyes she can see that he keeps his attention on her for a few seconds before turning forward as well.</p>
<p>It’s very clear Peter’s seen the movie many times as he can quote certain parts and also reacts to things before they happen, but it’s also clear that he’s enjoying it regardless of knowing it front to back. She feels herself smiling at his enjoyment.</p>
<p>Lara Jean has to admit it’s a pretty compelling movie. She would never have chosen to watch that by herself, but she finds herself interested in what’s going on, and from time to time she can feel Peter looking at her to gauge her reaction.</p>
<p>Somewhere along the middle she notices they’re both scrawled on the couch, legs touching in the middle, and the ice pack is long forgotten on the coffee table.</p>
<p>She kicks him lightly in the shin, “Hey, how long since you ditched the ice?”</p>
<p>He looks at her like a kid caught drawing on the wall. “Uh… not long?”</p>
<p>She laughs. “No, it’s fine, we should have done that in intervals actually, but I was distracted.”</p>
<p>“Ah, so you like my movie!”</p>
<p>She shrugs and sits up, “Eh, it’s alright. Pause it, I’m gonna get another pack, you should put it on the other side now.”</p>
<p>As she gets another ice pack from her freezer she realizes she never offered him anything to drink or eat. Margot would be appalled at her manners.</p>
<p>“Uh, hey, how do you feel about popcorn?” She yells sort of awkwardly.</p>
<p>She still isn’t sure how she ended up in a movie marathon with Peter Kavinsky at midnight and she feels like everything she can do will be weird.</p>
<p>“Love it!” He replies surely, as if they’re friends who hang all the time.</p>
<p>So she makes some and brings back two sodas as well.</p>
<p>If this is happening, might as well do it right.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"So? Masterpiece or what?" he asks as soon as the credits start rolling. He looks so comfortable lying on her couch, an easy smile on his face.</p>
<p>She hates to admit it but it's a pretty good movie. She shrugs but she knows he can see she's exaggerating. "It was okay."</p>
<p>"Don't lie to me, you loved it!" he accuses, pointing a finger at her, both laughing. "You saw the rules, Covey, no secrets."</p>
<p>"That's not exactly how it went down."</p>
<p>He dismisses her. "Poetic licence."</p>
<p>"Fine. I enjoyed it."</p>
<p>"I knew it!"</p>
<p>She rolls her eyes and takes the bow and cans back to the kitchen, and suddenly it's like the spell is broken.</p>
<p>The movie has ended and they did the ice and everything they set out to do. What now? Does he really wanna stay for a second movie? Is it weird if he stays? Does she want him to stay?</p>
<p>After a few seconds trying to recompose herself she goes back to the living room, but Peter doesn't hear her. He's got his back to her but she can see from the side that he's holding a picture frame.</p>
<p>It's that one photo of her on her mother's lap out in the park. She hadn't known it back then, but that was just a few weeks before her mom passed.</p>
<p>"That's one of the last memories I have with her," she says and Peter startles, turning back to her as if he's been caught. "Probably the most vivid. We spent the whole day in the park, it was really sunny and my parents packed an amazing picnic. I still remember the happiness from that day, that innocent child feeling, you know?"</p>
<p>He's super focused on her as she speaks and then he nods. He looks back at the picture in his hands and gives a tiny smile.</p>
<p>"You look like her. Like, not in an obvious way, but you have her smile."</p>
<p>That's what her dad tells her, too, and the fact that Peter has been on her couch for maybe two hours and is already able to see that - it settles a nice feeling inside her chest.</p>
<p>"Yeah, I think so too."</p>
<p>He sets the picture back where it'd been by her TV but keeps looking at it.</p>
<p>"She was beautiful."</p>
<p>Lara Jean walks closer and looks at the picture with him, even though she knows it like the back of her hand.</p>
<p>"She was. Margot inherited that."</p>
<p>He bumps her shoulder and rolls his eyes, "oh, shut up."</p>
<p>She giggles and falls back into the couch, he follows her easily.</p>
<p>"I bet you really miss her, huh?"</p>
<p>Lara Jean never really talks about her mom, but the words form themselves easily. It's weird but it just feels so easy to sit there with Peter and talk about things as if they are close friends and not like he's the guy that was her first kiss, whom she crushed on, <em> hard </em>, afterwards, only to then stop talking altogether.</p>
<p>Suddenly it's almost like they're back at that friendship from when they were twelve, only older and more mature.</p>
<p>"I do." She nods. "Every day."</p>
<p>"I can't imagine it. I mean, there's my dad - you know," he motions around with his hand. She does know - one of the downsides of being popular is that everyone knows everything about your life, and Peter Kavinsky's dad leaving them had been the talk of the semester when it happened. "But it's not the same, obviously."</p>
<p>She shrugs. "Doesn't mean it's easier. You guys don't have any contact?"</p>
<p>He shakes his head and she can see that it bothers him, but he tries to hide it. "Nah. He tried it for a few years - or, rather, pretended to try. I don't think he ever really cared. He got a new family pretty soon afterwards. To them, he's father of the year. To us, the last card he sent me was probably five years ago."</p>
<p>Her heart breaks at his words and even more at the fact that he won't look at her as he says this, which so far into the night hadn't happened yet. She misses her mother terribly, but she's safe in the knowledge that she loved her more than anything. Having a parent simply not care is something so foreign to her.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, Peter."</p>
<p>He shrugs but still won't meet her eyes. "At least he's not, you know-" and then he stops and his eyes widen as if he just realized what he was saying.</p>
<p>"Dead," she completes for him, and when he looks nervously at her, she laughs. He visibly relaxes. "It's okay, you can say it. It's been a long time. Sometimes..." she's not sure why she's opening up this much, but the words continue to fall easily out of her mouth. Maybe it's because he pays such close attention when she's speaking, like he's really listening to her. She hasn't felt like that in a while. "Sometimes I'm minding my own business, like doing the dishes or something, and I think about my family - and I think of my dad, Margot and Kitty. For a split second there I forget there was a time when it wasn't just us. Then I remember it, obviously, and I feel really guilty about it."</p>
<p>His eyes are earnest and he scoots a bit closer when she finishes talking. "I get that. I'm sorry."</p>
<p>She smiles and he smiles back. As if they agreed on it they both rest their heads on the back of the couch, looking at each other.</p>
<p>He still has those beautiful golden specs in his eyes. Her stomach tightens.</p>
<p>"Do you miss him at all?"</p>
<p>He makes a movement as if he's gonna turn away but sighs and keeps looking at her. Suddenly his eyes feel really intense and she thinks that he hasn't shared any feelings about his dad with anyone, ever.</p>
<p>"Sometimes. It's like you, a little, where for a second I'll forget he ever abandoned us, but then I immediately remember it and I get so mad that I'm glad he's gone."</p>
<p>She shakes her head and it's like she can see him gulp. "You don't mean that. You can be mad at him and still miss him, Peter. You're only human."</p>
<p>He sighs deeply and actually scoots a bit closer. "I guess. It's just weird - I miss who he used to be for us, you know? I don't miss him <em> now </em>. If he came back I wouldn't want anything to do with him."</p>
<p>She nods. "You're nostalgic."</p>
<p>"Yeah, exactly. But at least I have my mom. It wasn't easy but she did everything she could for us after he left. She's a superhero, period."</p>
<p>Lara Jean smiles at the softness in his voice as he talks about his mom. "I imagine it wasn't easy, raising two teenage boys."</p>
<p>He snorts. "Yeah, she used to call us heathens."</p>
<p>"I can see that." He laughs. "How's she?"</p>
<p>"Good. She remarried a couple years back, nice guy. It's good now that me and Owen left home."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I know. My dad got married again when we were in high school. Now that everyone has left the nest I'm really glad he has someone."</p>
<p>"Exactly. I am due for a visit though, she complains about it every time we talk."</p>
<p>Lara Jean laughs. "Oh, same, if it was up to my dad I'd be there every weekend."</p>
<p>Peter is still looking at her intently and it's like he's urging her to look back just the same. "We could go together some time, having some company might be nice."</p>
<p>It sounds like there's more meaning to the words than at face value and it catches her off-guard. "Uh, yeah. Definitely."</p>
<p>The atmosphere feels heavy and Peter refuses to break their gaze. He has such a deep stare, it's like he can see all the way into her soul, and she gulps.</p>
<p>When he moves his head and she thinks he might get closer, she turns back to the TV and picks up the remote. The first movie in the recommendations is "Love, Simon" and she clicks on it without a second thought, just looking for something to distract them.</p>
<p>She can feel Peter's eyes on her for a few moments still, but eventually he retreats his head back a bit and looks at the TV.</p>
<p>Apparently they're watching a second movie after all.</p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>It takes a while but she relaxes again and so does he, and both seem to be caught up on the story. The deal had been that the second movie was to be one that she likes but she had been so hasty to click on something that she ended up on this one, which she hadn't watched yet. It's fine, though, it's a second movie and he's staying.</p>
<p>She's not sure why she cares so much about that, but she does.</p>
<p>"That's what I imagine you were like at every school party," she comments at the scene where Simon and Leah are going back home completely drunk after the halloween party.</p>
<p>He snorts. "I almost never drank at those."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>He shrugs still engrossed in the movie. "I was almost always driving and I'm not reckless. Definitely never made it home like that, if I ever drank that much it was because I was gonna sleep over some of the guys'."</p>
<p>"Oh yeah, and how about halloween, senior year?"</p>
<p>He contorts his face in regret. "Oh god, you heard about that? I totally forgot about it."</p>
<p>"I was there."</p>
<p>"I know, but I didn't think you'd seen me drunk."</p>
<p>"You were <em> smashed </em>, it was hard to miss. You passed out on the couch while the party was still going."</p>
<p>He flushes and lets out an embarrassed laugh. "I did, oh my god. Can't believe you decided to go to the one party where I did that."</p>
<p>She shrugs. "I didn't as much 'decide to go' as I was completely coerced into it by Chris."</p>
<p>He snorts. "You looked cute though. You were Cho Chang, right?"</p>
<p>She can feel her eyebrows raise to the middle of her forehead. He remembers that? There were so many people there and she kept it to herself all night long, she didn't even think he'd actually noticed she was there.</p>
<p>"I did, yeah. Can't believe you remember that?"</p>
<p>He rolls his eyes and looks at her. "I told you I remember a lot. I read Harry Potter because of that."</p>
<p>Her eyes widen and she swats him with a small laugh. "No, you did not!"</p>
<p>He laughs but it's like he knows of a joke she doesn't. "I did! I was curious about who you were meant to be because I hadn't seen the movies and Darrel told me it was a Harry Potter character so I thought I should check it out."</p>
<p>"You read seven books because you didn't know who I was dressed as at a halloween party?"</p>
<p>He readjusts his head and pumps his eyebrows once "I did, yeah."</p>
<p>Her mouth is dry and she tries to pay attention to the movie again, but it's hard.</p>
<p>It's suddenly way too hot inside her apartment.</p>
<p>"Sidebar, I think Blue is Gram," he says when she stares back at the TV.</p>
<p>"What? Simon just caught him making out with a girl at the party."</p>
<p>"People make out with people who aren't who they like all the time."</p>
<p>"I don't," she says immediately.</p>
<p>She can see his smile from the edge of her eyes. "You're special, Covey. You know what you want and you don't settle for less. Most of us aren't that good with our own boundaries."</p>
<p>Despite her better judgement she looks back at him. He's already - or is it still? - looking at her.</p>
<p>"That's not true," she argues.</p>
<p>He scoffs. "Do you know how many times me and Gen broke up before the final time?" She shakes her head because she doesn't know the exact number, but it had been quite a few. "Six. That's not the sign of a good relationship and both of us knew that. At some point… at some point I didn't even want to be with her anymore, and I knew that. But it was easier than being alone or starting over, you know? I settled. And so did she."</p>
<p>Lara Jean can feel her eyes widening because that's never how she thought of Gen and Peter, the power couple of Adler High. Sure, she agrees that she never thought it was healthy, but she figured there was much she didn't know to properly judge.</p>
<p>Apparently there was, but on the bad side.</p>
<p>She still doesn't know what to say and now she's openly staring at him. She forces herself to look at the bruises to pretend that she's just checking out his injuries.</p>
<p>"But, anyhow-" Peter says, finally turning back to the TV. "I still think it's Bram. This movie is through Simon's vision so obviously it's unreliable, but there's something in the way Bram looks at him - I recognize that look."</p>
<p>"What, you've been the quiet pining guy before?"</p>
<p>He only moves his eyes to her as if he's sharing a secret before staring back front. "You'd be surprised."</p>
<p>She tries once again to pay attention to the movie, but she doesn't think that will happen. Instead, what happens is pretty much the opposite of taking the focus off them.</p>
<p>Simon is writing to Blue again and she's just blurting it out without a second thought.</p>
<p>"You know, I wrote you a letter once."</p>
<p>Peter's neck cracks twice as he quickly turns to her. "<em> What </em>?"</p>
<p>She has no idea why she brought it up, the words were out before she could even try to control them, but now there's nowhere to go but the truth, right? She can feel her cheeks heating up and she keeps her eyes on the TV even if she's not grasping any of the words or images in front of her.</p>
<p>"When I was younger I wrote a letter every time I got a crush - like, a strong one. It was for me, obviously, I never sent them - would never - but yeah."</p>
<p>"Are you saying you had a crush on me?"</p>
<p>Her cheeks are still burning but she rolls her eyes and tries to act normal. "Please, every girl did."</p>
<p>He sounds actually surprised. "Not you, though. You never acted like it."</p>
<p>"It was like in seventh grade. I didn't like you and then we kissed and I suddenly did. And then you started dating Gen. So." She shrugs as if to indicate it was nothing - but she knows that's now exactly true.</p>
<p>"I can't believe this, you liked me after we kissed?"</p>
<p>"I did and I was really mad about it."</p>
<p>He snorts. "What?"</p>
<p>"Everyone liked you and I thought you were too cocky about it so I didn't want to like you."</p>
<p>"I was not cocky!"</p>
<p>"Yes, you were."</p>
<p>He relents. "Okay, maybe a little."</p>
<p>There's a beat of silence again and she could let the conversation die, but for some reason she adds. "My sister found my box of letters once and almost sent them. I didn't speak to her for a week and never wrote another letter, just in case."</p>
<p>She can feel his eyes on her shoulder.</p>
<p>"How many letters were there?"</p>
<p>"Five."</p>
<p>"Damn Covey, you're a player." That finally gets her to look at him and she swats at his chest. He laughs. "Do you still have the letters?"</p>
<p>"I do, but you are absolutely not reading it."</p>
<p>"Oh, come on!" He whines. "It's about me."</p>
<p>"Forget it, Kavinsky."</p>
<p>"Maybe I should call your sister, she sounds like she'd give it to me."</p>
<p>"Oh, she definitely would, the heathen that she is." Then, she adds to try to move on from the letter. "You two would get along."</p>
<p>It's like he notices and takes her cue. "That's the youngest sister, right? Margot still in Europe?"</p>
<p>She's still surprised by how much he remembers about her life - even if regarding Margot, technically, he actually knew her from school.</p>
<p>"Yeah, she's in London now, she got married a couple of years back. She's visiting soon for Kitty's graduation."</p>
<p>"Oh, nice, Owen is graduating this year too - you know, my younger brother. What does your sister study?"</p>
<p>"Psychology. May god have mercy on her patients." He laughs. "How about Owen?"</p>
<p>"Biochemistry. He's the brains of the family."</p>
<p>She raises her eyebrows. "You're a <em> lawyer </em>."</p>
<p>He shrugs sheepishly. "That just means I'm good at lying and arguing."</p>
<p>"Oh, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure your mom is really proud."</p>
<p>That gets a smile out of him. "She is, actually. But she's the hype mom, you know. She'd be proud no matter what."</p>
<p>"She wants you to be happy."</p>
<p>"She does."</p>
<p>"That's lovely."</p>
<p>"Yeah, it is actually. How about your dad? Is he sad none of you went into medicine?"</p>
<p>"Oh no, he's relieved. He loves what he does but it comes with crazy hours and all that. Of course he would support us if we went into it but he was glad when we decided to pursue more normal careers."</p>
<p>"Being a journalist can't come with normal hours - I've seen The Devil Wears Prada."</p>
<p>She laughs loudly. "My boss is nothing like Miranda Priestly, I assure you that. And yeah, it isn't really nine-to-five but it's not like I have to get up at three in the morning if my phone rings and rush to work and then work for like twenty-fours straight."</p>
<p>"Fair point. It's kind of the same with me."</p>
<p>"Do you enjoy it? Being a lawyer?" For some reason she can't picture him all serious in court defending his case.</p>
<p>"I do, actually. I just always had a clear vision that that's what I wanted to do and it always proved itself right."</p>
<p>"I never thought of you as a potential lawyer and not for the jock thing you said earlier. A lawyer is someone I picture as being uptight and you're just so… free? I don't know."</p>
<p>"Should I take that as a compliment?"</p>
<p>"Definitely! Oh my god. I just meant… I don't know, you're a carefree guy. You're all smiles and you're so social. But then again it's not very nice to stereotype huh?"</p>
<p>"Eh, I'll take it, I know what you mean. I definitely need to distress outdoors often. But, you know, at least it helps that I look good in a suit."</p>
<p>The words run out of her mouth before she can think them through, "I'll bet."</p>
<p>There's a bit of silence and she cleans her throat as she turns back to the TV. It's not long before the movie ends and she tries to find what to say next.</p>
<p>She doesn't want him to leave, but she doesn't have any reason for him to stay, does she? The mere fact that he's still in her apartment is crazy enough and there's not much she can say to extend this night.</p>
<p>She isn't even sure why she wants to. She's left her feelings for Peter Kavinsky way in the past.</p>
<p>Right?</p>
<p>"You know, the deal was a movie I liked and one you liked, and since you never actually watched Love, Simon before, technically we're still missing one from you."</p>
<p>He's looking at her with earnest eyes and she must be seeing things because it looks like he's asking her to let him stay, to give him a reason to not have to leave.</p>
<p>It's like he wants her to say <em> yes, please stay </em>, and coincidentally that's what she wants to say, too.</p>
<p>"Right, we have to do that."</p>
<p>He nods. "Absolutely, we have no choice."</p>
<p>The air feels charged around them - she has to be imagining things.</p>
<p>She clears her throat. "Uhm, have you seen sixteen candles?"</p>
<p>"What is that?"</p>
<p>"It's a <em> classic </em>! John Hughes?"</p>
<p>"<em> Who </em> is that?"</p>
<p>"Okay, we're watching it." She repeats his words from earlier and he smiles. "That's unacceptable."</p>
<p>She pulls up the movie and even before it begins he's frowning. "What year is that from?"</p>
<p>"It's from the eighties."</p>
<p>"Good god, Covey."</p>
<p>"Shut up and pay attention!"</p>
<p>The movie barely begins when he interrupts again. "That is not practical."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Their hands in each other's pockets. The height difference, the length of their arms, the fact that their butts will move as they walk. That can't work."</p>
<p>She knits her eyebrows because that is one of her most wanted romantic fantasies and he will <em> not </em> ruin it for her. "Uh, yes it <em> can </em>."</p>
<p>"Have you done it?"</p>
<p>She blushes. "Well, no, but-"</p>
<p>He stands up and extends his right hand to her. "Come on, let's try."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Let's try it, right now. I'll show you it's impractical."</p>
<p>And she doesn't know why, but she reaches for his hand and gets up. It's a bad idea - there's a thumping in her heart that should not be there, and yet she follows him. He walks them to her window so they have the whole length of her living room to try to walk back and she's faintly aware of the sounds of the movie still playing in the background.</p>
<p>"Okay, ready?"</p>
<p>She nods because what does she have to get ready for? He's just gonna put his hand on her ass - her <em> back pocket </em>, and they'll walk a couple steps. That's all there is to it.</p>
<p>So he does, fits his hand on the entirety of her small pocket, and they start walking and it's like the whole thing lasts a lifetime. She's severely aware of his hands pressing into her butt as she walks and she's suddenly finding it extremely hard to pretend he's not terribly attractive and that she may or may not have some residual feelings resurfacing.</p>
<p>God, she's twenty-six years old and she liked him when she was <em> twelve </em>, what is wrong with her?</p>
<p>They reach the other end of the couch after what she's sure were <em> hours </em> and she almost lets herself breathe in relief that this is over when suddenly she's spinning, and in the second that it takes her to do a full 360 she realizes he pulled on her pocket and did this to her on purpose, so she'd fall into his arms. And that she does, easily and with no movement - or resistance - from herself, and then he's wrapping his arms around her waist, her own arms against his chest between them, and he's bringing her closer to his embrace.</p>
<p>Their faces are even closer than they were in the bathroom. She can see every bruise very clearly and she's too close to <em> not </em> see how his eyes focus on her lips.</p>
<p>She licks them completely on impulse and he gulps.</p>
<p>"Covey?"</p>
<p>"Hm?"</p>
<p>"For a while back then I might have had a crush on you, too."</p>
<p>She's too stunned to reply and she searches for his eyes, sure her own are as wide as plates.</p>
<p>He only locks their gaze for one second before he closes the distance and kisses her.</p>
<p>This is definitely nowhere near their first kiss over a decade ago - this a full-on open mouthed kiss, his tongue swiping on her lips as one of his hands move back up so he can hold the back of her neck.</p>
<p>She's completely lost control of herself and she can't do anything but kiss him - she can feel <em> want </em> emanating from him and his lips are <em> so good </em>.</p>
<p>They're walking towards the wall behind her and she isn't sure who is leading but they're both in tune as he presses her into it and her arms snake around his neck.</p>
<p>"Is this okay?" he asks breathless when they part for air. His eyes are blown wide </p>
<p>She nods but her words contradict her. "I don't do one night stands."</p>
<p>Instead of letting go, he smiles, and she can feel her insides warming up even more. "Neither do I."</p>
<p>Their mouths meet back in the middle and then he's holding her ass so she can lock her legs around his waist. As soon as she's secure he walks back towards the couch with their lips still interlocked and sits down with her on his lap.</p>
<p>She can feel the entire expanse of his chest as it presses into hers, his hands on her back keeping her as close as possible as his lips continue to ravish hers.</p>
<p>She hasn't been kissed like this in a long time, she'd almost forgotten how good it feels to feel so desired.</p>
<p>His lips leave hers but before she can make a sound of displeasure he moves to her earlobe and she chokes on her own moan.</p>
<p>She's so tiny compared to him, she fits so well within his arms and chest and lap. His mouth traces a path all the way down her neck to her clavicle, his tongue swiping at her skin as if he wants to taste every inch of it, his teeth sinking softly from time to time and making her gasp.</p>
<p>"Peter..." she doesn't have anything to say, she just needs to say his name, to put it out there that this is really happening and that they're making out on her couch at five in the morning while Sixteen Candles is playing behind them.</p>
<p>"You have no idea how happy I was when I saw you at that bar," he murmurs the words against her skin as he nuzzles it. "And how glad I felt when you insisted I came home with you."</p>
<p>"I definitely didn't have this in mind at the time."</p>
<p>He finally takes his mouth off her and looks her in the eyes, his hand still on her back, caressing it slowly. "Do you want to stop?"</p>
<p>She shakes her head vigorously. "Oh god, no."</p>
<p>He lets out an amused laugh under his breath and she kisses him because he's so warm and so handsome and he's <em> right there </em>.</p>
<p>This night had already been so weird, might as well end it with a bang.</p>
<p>She interlocks her fingers in his hair and it's as soft as she always thought it would be with its shiny curls and that purposefully messy style.</p>
<p>She moves her head to the other side to deepen the kiss and her nose bumps his. He hisses.</p>
<p>"Your nose!" She exclaims in horror. "I'm sorry!"</p>
<p>He laughs and so does she and then they're looking at each other again, faces as close as possible without touching.</p>
<p>"It's all good. This bloody nose got me here tonight, I'm not complaining."</p>
<p>"We should still be careful, though."</p>
<p>He gives a light shrug and his hands slowly move under her shirt caressing her skin. "I think I can manage," he says right before kissing her again.</p>
<p>She opens one by one of his shirt buttons then tugs at the tank he's got underneath it and he breaks their kiss long enough to remove them. He takes the chance to get a hold of the hem of her own shirt and once it's off he just drinks her in for a while.</p>
<p>"Peter?" she asks when he still doesn't move, eyes travelling through her body. She can feel where he's getting hard under her and her breath is quickening.</p>
<p>"I meant it, you know. I did like you back in high school."</p>
<p>She nods because she's not sure why that matters at this moment but also because what else can she do? It does sound so fantastical that someone she didn't even think noticed her had feelings for her.</p>
<p>"Yeah?" she says when he doesn't continue nor moves.</p>
<p>"Just thought you should know." His eyes are still dancing all over her skin except for her face. "This isn't… I don't even know what it looks like, but this isn't me taking advantage of what happened tonight."</p>
<p>Her breath catches in her throat. "I didn't think it was. Really."</p>
<p>He's nodding now and finally he's looking into her eyes again. "Should we go on?"</p>
<p>She can feel her eyebrows raising. "I just took your shirt off."</p>
<p>He chuckles. "Fair point."</p>
<p>She moves her hand to his face and caresses his lips with her thumb. "I appreciate it though. Knowing that this is more to you like it is to me." He nods. "Can we go back to the sex now?"</p>
<p>He barks out a laugh and clashes it onto her smiling lips. It tastes delicious.</p>
<p>He picks her up and walks towards the bedroom, throwing her on the bed and climbing on top of her.</p>
<p>"There's one thing I really, really want to do that I don't think I should with my current nose," he says in between kisses as he goes down the valley of her breasts, still covered in a bra, all the way to her stomach and the hem of her pants.</p>
<p>She flushes and squeals. "It's okay. Just… stay? Afterwards?"</p>
<p>He moves back to her lips and kisses her softly, eyes melting into hers. "I'm not going anywhere."</p>
<p>True to his words, he's curled up behind her when Lara Jean wakes up, arm tightly around her waist.</p>
<p>She curls up closer and drifts off to sleep again, sure that he'll still be there later.</p>
<p>He is.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. and you still didn't leave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What happens <i>later</i></p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so many of you said that you'd like a sequel and that their story didn't feel finished, and i could totally see that, so i started thinking about it and i came up with this little thing. it's very plotless, it's literally just our couple being together and happy, but it's here. i truly hope you like and i promise that i'll work harder on my next piece to bring you more substance! hahaha</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>
    <em>One Hour Later</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lara Jean properly wakes up when Peter stirs and pulls her even closer. He's quiet and sleepy, but she can tell he's awake by the way his breathing changes. She is completely naked and extremely aware that he is too, their skin touching everywhere it's possible as they cuddle together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They don't talk about the previous night, don't say anything at all, actually. She doesn't ask what this is and neither does he. They lie together in silence for a while and then he starts pressing feather like kisses on her shoulder before turning her just a little bit to the side so he can kiss her lips. She expects him to deepen the kiss and to start touching her, trying to start something again, but he simply holds her close and kisses her lightly, as if he's happy with just that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She remembers what he said last night, about not taking advantage of what happened, and this is like an emphasis, a proof that he meant it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything happens organically and unexplainably in sync. They both part and start getting up, getting dressed and ready, and suddenly she finds herself in the kitchen making coffee and toast as he makes scrambled eggs. They never even discussed it, they just moved around together and ended up there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They haven't said a word yet, which normally would freak her out, but it feels fine, good. She’s almost worried that when they do say something, the spell might break.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He moves his hand to hers halfway through breakfast and squeezes it, as if calling her attention. She takes a sip of her coffee and looks at him with arched brows.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This is it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thinks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I had a great time last night," he says, his voice hoarser than usual due to the lack of use. He clears his throat and they both smile. "And I don't mean- well, obviously the sex was great. But I meant the whole night. Spending time with you, watching movies, talking. This is gonna sound weird but I felt like myself."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She's not expecting to hear those words, not as openly at least, so she gulps and tries to calm her heart. In just a few hours it seems Peter managed to find his way back into her heart, lightning up the feelings from all those years ago like little fairy lights.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I did too. That was so completely unexpected, but it was great. And it's not weird, I know what you mean."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiles again, bigger this time, and her heart skips yet another beat. She can't even pretend not to understand his look. He's happy. Happy he's there with her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So, I was thinking that maybe you would like to properly go out with me tonight?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Like a date?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He chuckles. "Yeah, Covey, a date. A proper one, where I take you out to a restaurant and you don't have to provide me any medical services."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blinks, unsure of whether or not she's surprised. Eventually though, she smiles and nods. "Yeah, I would love that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Great!" he says as if he's downplaying his excitement and she has to bite down a squeal. "I have to head home and take care of some things, but I'll come by to pick you up. Eight ok?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, eight is great. But I can meet you there if you tell me where we're going."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shakes his head and moves both of his hands to hold one of hers. "Proper date, I'm driving you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He picks up his stuff, makes sure to exchange their phone numbers, and pecks her softly before leaving.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One minute later her phone pings:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Peter: can we make it 7? 8 is sooooo far</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She's alone now which means she can squeal. She does.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>LJ: make it six then ;)</span>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>One Day Later</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I have a question for you," she says as she runs her fingers around the rim of her wine glass. There's a smile on her face that's been there since he texted her that he was waiting in front of her building. He's so incredibly charming and he looks so happy himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If it's how I get my hair to look like this, I'm sorry to say that it's nature. I was just blessed that way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She giggles and he smiles widely at her, waiting for her actual question. "Actually I wanted to hear more about all the things you remember about me. You made a point last night to tell me several times that you did."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He seems delighted at her question, joining his hands and propping his arms on the table as he leans forward. "True. Anything in particular?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gives him a challenging smile. "Charm me, Kavinsky."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, I can do that. I'm </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> charming." She refrains from agreeing because his ego doesn't need it, but it's true. "So, as established, I read Harry Potter because of you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nods, still enchanted at that. That's an entire series. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seven</span>
  </em>
  <span> books. She dressed as a character that appears for like 2% of it. And he read it all. "What did you think?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I mean, I liked it. I don't think I could read seven whole books if I hated it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She fake pouts. "Not even for me?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gives her a pointed look. "Back then, just to know your costume? No. Today, if you asked me to? Absolutely."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lara Jean gulps and looks away to regroup. "Damn, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> charming."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know," he agrees conceitedly and she rolls her eyes. "But true."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The food arrives just then, saving her from having to respond, but their eyes meet as the waiter is placing their plates and she can hear her heart beating. She feels so at ease.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But anyway," he starts once the waiter leaves them with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bon appetit</span>
  </em>
  <span>. "I remember a lot, Covey. You always had your hair in a ponytail. Sometimes a braid or something, but never down - which is a shame because you look beautiful with your hair down."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blushes. "Trying to charm your way into my pants?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He fakes confusion, "Hm, didn't I do that yesterday?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She swats him and they both laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But </span>
  <em>
    <span>as I was saying</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he points out. "I also remember that for someone shy you sure liked to wear attention grabbing clothes."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She lets out an offended noise. "I did not!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knits his eyebrows. "Lara Jean, teenage girls with short skirts, tights and high boots are very distracting to teenage boys."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blushes furiously now. "Oh my god, stop. They were normal clothes!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>hot</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her cheeks are still warm. "Where was all this back then?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He snorts. "You're kidding, right? You barely looked at me, you wanted me to stalk you and suddenly tell you that you were hot?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You were the captain of the lacrosse team, Peter, </span>
  <em>
    <span>everybody</span>
  </em>
  <span> looked at you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shakes his head. "You never gave me any more than the necessary amount of attention at all times - classes or greetings. After we stopped speaking we really lost touch and you never acted like you wanted to reconnect."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugs. "I wasn't dying to be friends with the boyfriend of someone who hated me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His shoulders falter a bit at that, his face falls. "Yeah, there was that. Sorry."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's in the past."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nods, but still looks down. "But she was so mean to you sometimes. And I never did anything. That was a dick move."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I trust you've grown?" she asks and he nods emphatically. "Then it's all good. Seriously, Peter, whatever happened in high school won't overcome the night we had yesterday. Or today."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Good." He reaches out to hold her hand and she lets him. His skin is warm. "I started to like you right before Gen and I broke up for the last </span>
  <em>
    <span>non-final</span>
  </em>
  <span> time," he admits and she's stunned. "You did a fantastic presentation in literature and you were so confident. Then you broke the record on the track that same day. And then you drove off like it was no big deal, which was amazing to me because I'd been wary of your driving since you almost ran me over in junior year." She covers her mouth in shame at that - </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh my god</span>
  </em>
  <span> -, and he smiles. "But anyway, you were just so… I don't know, sure of yourself, like nothing could take you down that day. And I started taking notice - </span>
  <em>
    <span>closer</span>
  </em>
  <span> notice, I mean."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shakes her head in disbelief. "I still can't believe that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nods, big smile on his face. "It's the truth! I almost told you once, a few weeks after Gen and I broke up, just to at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you know. Then I found you kissing McClaren that same day and gave up."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She practically shrieks at the memory. "He was in town for </span>
  <em>
    <span>three weeks</span>
  </em>
  <span> and kissed me </span>
  <em>
    <span>once</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I can't believe this!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyebrows shoot up in shock. "Fuck, you're kidding me?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shakes her head and for some reason starts laughing. "That is so ridiculous."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It is, it really is!" He's laughing too and some people in the tables around them start giving them some looks. "But, you know, it's also ridiculous that I would run into you in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bar</span>
  </em>
  <span> in </span>
  <em>
    <span>New York City</span>
  </em>
  <span> after like </span>
  <em>
    <span>eight years</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And I did."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He's giving her such a soft look, his laughter subsiding into a tender smile, and all she can do is return it. "You did. And I'm very glad."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nods. "Me too. Maybe this was how it was meant to be all along."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nods and raises her glasses. "Well, cheers to that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He clinks their glasses and widens his smile. "Cheers."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>One Week Later</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter's building is not that far from hers, not in New York standards anyway. It's pretty normal looking, layout similar to the other buildings around and to her own, actually.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He's leading her in with a hand on the small of her back and stops just as they reach his floor and he takes out his key.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, shit, I forgot! You're not afraid of dogs, are you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She raises her eyebrows. "No. Do you have a dog?!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nods sheepishly, "yeah."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh my god, how have we seen each other every day this week and you never told me you have a dog! So many pictures that I could have already seen!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughs and puts the key on the lock. Instantly she can hear a bark.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He's very friendly and loves new people, but he's not fond of anyone getting close to me," he instructs before opening up the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out comes a corgi that barks happily at his owner before turning to Lara Jean and barking to her as well before coming over and circling her legs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She bends down. “Oh my god, Peter, he is so adorable!” The dog is happily accepting the attention even though he keeps looking back at his owner. “What’s his name?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ollie.” At the mention of his name the dog walks back to Peter. “Yeah, come on buddy, in you go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The apartment is very nice and ten times tidier than hers, very few things out of place. Ollie has a very soft looking dog bed right by the couch and he moves over once they are inside, his tongue out as he looks at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t believe I let you into my apartment when you live like this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter snorts. “You mean a clean space?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She walks to him and hits his arm, but she’s smiling nonetheless. “Shut up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulls her closer and hugs her over the shoulders. “To be honest there were lots of things lying around, I just pushed them under the bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that true?” She knits her eyebrows at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If it makes you feel better than yes, absolutely.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She goes to swat at him again but he squeezes her tighter and brings his lips to hers, kissing her delicately. It’s like she can’t help it but to move her arms to wrap around his waist and lean closer to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s sure they would have moved to the couch and would soon be making out if it wasn’t for Ollie currently barking all around their legs. They break out giggling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Told you, not a fan of other people near me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She separates from Peter and leans down to pet the dog, and he immediately calms down and accepts the attention. “That’s not fair little buddy, you can’t be so possessive over my-”  she stops, not sure how to finish the phrase, and clears her throat. “Over Peter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Peter notices her slip up, he doesn’t say anything, so she doesn’t either or and doesn’t even look at him. She hears him moving behind her and then he’s turning on a corridor. “Make yourself comfortable, I’m just gonna change.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lara Jean nods and continues playing with Ollie who seems to be on top of the world now that he was getting belly rubs and no one was trying to steal his human. She focuses very hard on not overthinking what she said - or rather, almost said. They’d seen each other every day since their date, going out again on sunday afternoon and meeting up every day after work even if just for half an hour. And she likes him, she really likes him, way more than she should considering how long they’ve been going out - and no, being friends as children </span>
  <em>
    <span>does not</span>
  </em>
  <span> count.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But they haven’t talked at all about what they are. She doesn’t know what he wants out of this or where they’re going. She just knows she enjoys spending time with him and that he seems to enjoy spending time with her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Peter reappears - in much less formal clothes but still looking unfairly good - she moves to the couch and he goes to sit by her side, but Ollie takes the middle seat as if clearly making a stand about who’s the real boss here. Peter just chuckles and sits on the opposite end, the dog immediately resting his head on his leg where Peter starts scratching his ears. Lara Jean is hit with such a surge of affection. There’s something about men being affectionate with cute animals that is a complete dismay to her walls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope he warms up to me,” she mentions, still looking at them, completely sure that she has the human version of heart eyes on her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He already likes you. As friendly as he is he usually barks non-stop when he meets someone knew - he only doesn’t when he likes them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He says that with such admiration that her heart feels like it’s in a cozy blanket. She can’t help the huge smile on her face. “It would still be nice to be able to touch you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughs and Ollie raises his ears, but otherwise doesn’t move. Lara Jean moves to pet him and he allows it without ceremonies. “See? He’s very chill. He really likes you. And dogs are very good judges of characters, as you know.” He considers for a second but continues. “It’ll be no time before he’ll let you be near me, which is good because otherwise a relationship might be complicated.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blinks at him and then averts her gaze. She knows what he’s trying to do, bringing it up without actually mentioning it, and she doesn’t know if she’s grateful or even more mortified. She takes a deep breath and hopes she won’t stumble on her own words. “Peter, we don’t have to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He moves his long arm far enough that it can touch her knees, and Ollie looks at it but doesn’t do anything. “Lara Jean, I like you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She bites her lower lip unsure of what to say, but very sure that she doesn’t want the stupid childish grin on her face to be revealed. By the way he smiles, he sees it anyway. “I do, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dimples on his cheeks as his smile widens and he drops his head on his shoulder is simply the cutest thing in the world. “So let’s do this. For real.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For real?” she chuckles as his choice of words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah!” he exclaims excitedly. “Instagram official for real. Telling our families for real. Seeing each other all the time for real.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughs happily and nods her head. “Ok, yeah, for real.” He looks over the moon and her stomach does some somersaults. “God, I haven’t been a girlfriend in so long,” she groans suddenly letting her head hit the back of the couch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He barks out a laugh and the corners of her mouth tug up. “I’m sure you’ll be </span>
  <em>
    <span>fantastic</span>
  </em>
  <span>. If this week was a trial run I would definitely buy the package.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She giggles yet again, something she feels she’ll be doing a lot of with him, and sits back up. “You are such a dork, how were you ever known as the cool popular guy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shrugs and smirks. “It’s all in the height, it fools everybody.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shakes her head in amusement. He sits up straighter and moves his hand to her cheek so he can bring her closer, and then he’s kissing her with a lot more passion than before. They barely get five seconds before Ollie is bumping their chins and barking. They separate laughing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not to be obtuse, but bedroom?” he asks with raised eyebrows and a look that sends chills through her entire body. “Ollie stays out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nods already getting up and moving along. “Definitely. Hurry up!”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>One Month Later</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God, you should own a bakery. This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” There’s icing on Peter’s lips as he speaks, his face one of pure wonder, and it warms Lara Jean down to her core. She’d made these cupcakes especially for him after he told her he’d never had a good red velvet cake, so to see him leaning on her counter going for a second one makes her feel like the best baker in the world.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She walks over to him on the other side of the counter, her face open in the biggest grin, and once he finishes eating the second cupcake she pulls him down and kisses him, cleaning his lips and sharing the frosting. He smiles into her lips and pulls her face closer once she tries to part, intensifying the kiss and searching her tongue with his.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s been one month since they met each other again in that bar and they’ve seen each other every single day. Lara Jean already can’t imagine not having Peter around. He fits so well into her life, she likes his company </span>
  <em>
    <span>so much</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They break apart because as much as she’d like to continue kissing him - and by his pull on her waist, so would he - they are on opposite sides of the counter and it gets uncomfortable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad you liked them, but it’s just a regular red velvet cupcake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nonchalantly takes yet another one and moves around the counter where he holds one of her hands and pulls her to the living room. “It’s the only good red velvet in the world, you should win a spot on guinness.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She giggles as he throws himself on the couch and pulls her with him, adjusting her perfectly on top of him, her back to his torso. “That’s boyfriend bias speaking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shrugs. “Maybe,” he says muffled, mouth full of cupcake. “But it doesn’t matter, your baking </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>my favorite and I can’t believe I lived all these years without your chocolate chip cookies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You got it at the right time, I spent all of my teenage years perfecting my baking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh man, imagine being your </span>
  <em>
    <span>boyfriend</span>
  </em>
  <span> back then? I wouldn’t have minded </span>
  <em>
    <span>at all</span>
  </em>
  <span> being your guinea pig for that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughs, thinking about it. “God, I wouldn’t even know where to begin with having a boyfriend in high school. Especially former crush Peter Kavinsky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He makes an offended noise, though she knows it’s fake. “Very much current crush, Covey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rolls her eyes. “Not in high school!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me, I reawakened your crush after </span>
  <em>
    <span>eight</span>
  </em>
  <span> years in </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> night, high school me would have done it in like ten minutes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She snorts. “Not with that attitude you wouldn’t. Remember I said I didn’t want to like you because you were so cocky? I would not let that fly, Peter Kavinsky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He leans down to rest his head on her neck and she can feel his smirk. “Speaking of it, tell me more about that crush. All I know is that you didn’t want to have it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugs. “That’s about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Coveeeeey,” he whines. “Come on. It’s been one month, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to see the letter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lara Jean, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>deserve</span>
  </em>
  <span> it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She raises her eyebrows and finally looks back at him. “I don’t see how.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, easy, I have been extremely patient </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> an excellent boyfriend and </span>
  <em>
    <span>also</span>
  </em>
  <span> the letter is for me so I have rights on it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The letter is mine, not yours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does it have my name on the envelope?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“... Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can see him squinting at her hesitation. “Does it have more than my name on it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your address,” she murmurs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my god, you addressed letters you never meant to send? Are you serious?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, I don’t do anything half-assed, okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughs and she has to bite back to not laugh with him. “Well, okay, so it has my name </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> my address on it. I hate to go all lawyer on you but I definitely have the right to read it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turns completely around then, straddling him. “You liar, you love lawyering up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shrugs. “Maybe.” He kisses her and she can’t stop her grin. “I’m still right and I still want my letter. I am not above going through your things once you go to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As a lawyer you should know that’s illegal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wiggles his eyebrows. “Not if I don’t get caught.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rolls her eyes but he pulls her closer before she can respond and covers her lips with his. It’s a slow, teasing kiss, and she knows that what he wants is to get her asking for more. She hates that it works.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Lara Jean?” he asks when they part, their lips so close they’re almost touching and their foreheads pressed together. When she opens her eyes he has that pleading puppy look that she loves and hates an equal amount, because it’s adorable but also so hard to say no to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s emotional manipulation,” she argues, but they both know she’s caved. He gives an exaggerated pout and she pulls away sighing. “But it’s working, goddammit Kavinsky.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can hear him laughing from the couch as she goes into her room and fetches her teal box, still intact with the letters inside. The papers have changed colors with the years and she gets such a nostalgia when she pulls them out in her hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She reads each name and remembers so vividly how hard she had felt it back then. She remembers her heartbreak when Josh started dating Margot. Remembers her heart thundering when John Ambrose kissed her that one time he visited town before he went back home and they never saw each other again. And she remembers her first kiss, that one quick peck that changed everything and made her love Peter Kavinsky in all of their twelve-year-old glory.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now he’s on her couch, and he’s her boyfriend, and life really is unpredictable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s sitting eagerly when she comes back and his face glows when he sees the envelope in her hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, you get to read it </span>
  <em>
    <span>once</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and that’s it.” He tries to protest but she doesn’t let him. “And if you make fun of it at any point I swear I’m not kissing you for the next two weeks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Damn, that’s cold, Covey. Is it open for negotiation?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can either say yes and read it, or say no and I will burn it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, ok, yes, I agree to the terms and conditions. Now gimme.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sits down beside him and sighs as she handles him the envelope.He marvels at it for longer than she expected before even opening it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, the penmanship is impressive.” There’s something in his voice and when she looks at his face he’s more serious. He caresses the paper as if it’s a treasure. “I’ve never gotten a love letter before,” he lets out in a much softer voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her heart warms up as she holds his arm with both her hands and leans on his shoulder. “This might be a good moment to tell you that this is the least romantic love letter I wrote, being mad about it and all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just laughs. “I’ll treasure it anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opens it slowly, making sure to not tear the paper anywhere, and holds the paper as if it’s a thousand years old and it might disintegrate. Her eyes go from the letter to his face as he reads carefully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He laughs right at the beginning when she jabs at him being called Kavinsky. She even uses it herself now, but only in teasing, and she thinks twelve-year-old her would be horrified. But most probably she’d be shocked that they’re dating.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really did care about what everyone thought. You knew me pretty well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugs. “Not that hard to read.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wrong.” He shakes his head. “So wrong. Even my friends thought I didn’t care.” She doesn’t know what to reply and he goes on reading. “I so did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> always get the last slice!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You absolutely did!” It looks like he’s gonna argue so she just pushes his head back to the letter. “Keep reading or I’ll take it away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiles at what she’s guessing is the paragraph she says he’s good at everything, but wisely doesn’t comment. His face changes in the next paragraph, the one about the kiss. It isn’t quite sad but it is pensive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure I liked Gen yet, to be honest. And I </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to kiss you, Covey. I’m sorry I ruined your first kiss.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She touches his face and makes him look at her. “You didn’t. I was just mad that you made me like you when I thought you liked my best friend. I’m glad my first kiss was with you and I’m glad that we’re together now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kisses her, quick and soft. “Me too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He continues reading and just exclaims randomly, like “thank you!” or “that was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>a plan”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gets his big smile when he gets to the part with what she liked about him. She’s almost certain he even looks abashed. He opens his mouth twice, but closes it, deciding to finish reading before folding it back delicately, placing it in the envelope, and handing it back to her as he turns on the couch to look at her completely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did feel that in high school,” he says, but doesn’t give her time to reply. “And I really hope that I make you feel special now, Lara Jean, because you truly are. So much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She softens at his gaze. “You do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He moves to kiss her again and this time he pulls her into his lap. She drops the letter in the process and he looks at it from the corner of his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I were to write you a love letter, would you consider letting me keep this one?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can feel butterflies in her stomach but tries to keep it cool. “Make it two and we’ll see.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just kisses her again.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>One Year Later</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the time that they have been together, they visited Virginia way more often than either of them ever had before. Both parents are thrilled at this and are profusely thankful to the other one for making their kid visit them more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They love it, so it's not really hard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps the thing that Lara Jean finds to be the weirdest is how both at her dad's and at Peter's mom's they get to share the room. Lara Jean never had any boys in her room before, never felt confident enough to bring a boyfriend home with the intent of spending the night. And yes, she's a fully formed adult that lives alone in another city, but she doesn't think it'll ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> be weird to have her dad making her bed for her and her boyfriend and going to sleep knowing that they'll be there together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first time they visited she was so weirded out and tense that she barely kissed Peter while in her room. For his part he only found it highly amusing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, a year into this relationship and having visited many times, even if just for a weekend, Lara Jean can't imagine being there and not waking up with his arm around her or her head on his chest or at the very least their hands or feet touching. She still feels sort of weird at the thought of having sex in there, but one minute of Peter kissing her passionately and she forgets it all and is ready to shred clothes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She's more comfortable with him than she's ever been with anyone before. She trusts him as much as her own family. She loves being with him, loves how well he fits into her family, loves </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter stirs and pulls her closer once he realizes she's already awake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm, this is not a good sign," he mumbles, still sleepy, making his way to snuggle with her even tighter. She loves how affectionate he is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You waking up before me. Historical data tells me that's a source of concern."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughs and lets him pull her closer, his own laugh lost on her skin as he buries his head on her shoulder. "I'm fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kisses her skin delicately, "you sure? That's another champion sentence for people who are indeed not fine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughs again and this time moves to turn towards him, which he accepts gladly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm just thinking about us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Should I be worried?" His eyebrows are practically touching his hairline.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shakes her head immediately. "You make me more comfortable than anyone ever has."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiles and pulls her closer again, chests flushed together. "You do that too. Being ourselves, right?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nods, as that’s something they often say. "Exactly. Which is why I was thinking..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"... yes?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She takes a deep breath. She's been thinking about this for weeks and now it seems like the perfect time to bring it up. "How would you feel about us moving in together?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He raises his eyebrows again but before she can even begin to feel self-conscious he opens up a huge smile. "I would feel fucking amazing about that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her cheeks will pretty soon start hurting from how much she's straining them. "Yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nods and grabs her hand to press a kiss on her fingers. "I love you so much that I'm willing to give up my tidiness just to be constantly with you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughs and pulls him in for a quick kiss. "I love you, too, and I promise I'll be better in the cleaning department." And before he can reply she kisses him again, stronger this time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as she moves her leg on top of him, there's a knock on her door and Kitty's voice reaches them with a cheerful "breakfast!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lara Jean groans and hides her face on his neck, morning spell broken. She knows that as soon as they get up the day will officially start and she won't be able to hide in their cocoon anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He chuckles above her, his hot breath tickling the back of her neck. "Come on, Covey. You can do it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"But I don't wanna," she whines.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And let the gorgeous dress you got go to waste?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She lifts her head and gives him a look. "I'll wear it for you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He squints. "Okay, you're not playing fair right now." She kisses the corner of his mouth, but she can see how he tries to resist. "But no. No. We are going to this reunion."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You are so mean."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're depriving me of breakfast at nine in the morning because you don't wanna go to an event at 7pm! You're the mean one." And as if rehearsed, his stomach grumbles just then and he gives her a pointed look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Ok, ok, at least let's get breakfast."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her dad, Trina and Kitty are already eating when they go down, but they join easily into the conversation, discussing how Kitty's new job is going. She feels Peter's warmth by her side at the table, even as he's focused on her dad and not her, and it hits her again how </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> this is. It's like Peter belongs there, in that table with them, with her </span>
  <em>
    <span>family</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She thinks about their agreement to move in together and her chest fills with warmth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the day goes by fast as they have lunch with his family and then go to the store to buy the necessary items for a barbecue the next day for both their families. It's so crazy that she ended up dating a childhood friend whose mom still lives twenty minutes away from her dad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At five she decides she needs to sulk it up and start getting ready. It's not that she doesn't want to go - if she really didn't then she wouldn't and Peter would have understood, she knows that. She wants to, she misses the school and her friends and some colleagues she's lost touch with. She's met the friends that Peter kept several times during their time together and she really likes them. She knows she'll be able to have a good time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she can't stop thinking about walking in with Peter Kavinsky, ten years after their graduation when they had barely been acquaintances. She doesn't like drawing attention from people she doesn't know or doesn't like.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She thinks about Gen, who cut off their friendship after one stupid tongueless kiss that had meant nothing (or, rather, was supposed to mean nothing), seeing them together after all this time. Is she over Peter? Is she a more evolved person? Will she still be bitchy to her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she doesn't let fear stop her anymore, she's grown and mature now and she understands that life comes with risks. So she'll go. She just needs to freak out a little bit about it first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Knowing that being with Peter she will gain attention whether she wants to or not, she decides to dress up properly. She has a new dress, new pair of shoes, and she got Kitty to do her hair and help with her makeup. She's usually too lazy for all this, but somehow today it calms her nerves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter had left her and Kitty to get ready as being a man his job was unfairly easier, and when she meets him downstairs she thinks for a second that he’s gonna grab her and run back to her room without a second thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Goddammit, Lara Jean, I totally regret not accepting your offer to wear this just for me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lara Jean notices her dad in the kitchen and when he clears his throat Peter straightens up and she swears he blushes a bit, probably not aware that they were not alone downstairs. He doesn't turn around and doesn't say anything else, and that makes her laugh and ease up a bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or at least enough to pay attention to </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span> as she goes down and walks to his arms. She sighs as she runs her hands over his lapels. "You </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> look good in a suit," she says, as she does every single time she sees him in one, which is quite often. He still smiles largely every time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I told you, that's why I became a lawyer."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They laugh before she gives him a quick kiss and then she remembers her dad is probably still behind Peter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We're off, Dad, don't wait up."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiles and raises his cup of tea. "Have fun and drive safe."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The drive is fast and extremely nostalgic. She thinks about what Peter said once, about being her boyfriend in high school, and she can almost picture it as they park in front of the building, walking hand in hand and going to class together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She meant what she said, that sixteen year old her would probably be way too lost with a boyfriend then. Now it's like everything makes sense, and she thinks he was right about yet something else: that this is how they were meant to be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He squeezes her hand when they get to the door of the hall where the party is being held, silently saying that it's ok, she's got it, and he's there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she suspected, they are quite a sensation when they get noticed, but Peter continues walking swiftly talking to those he knows and ignoring any and every look or commentary. Lara Jean tries to do the same, eyes searching for some familiar faces until she finally recognizes Lucas.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The whole night goes on in a blur, which is a complete surprise to what she expected of overthinking every minute.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gen's there and she has a boyfriend with her. She sees them and her eyebrows raise in surprise, but that mean streak that Lara Jean was used to seeing on her face is no longer there. She looks… almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>healed</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Lara Jean would say. She walks over and talks briefly with them and Lara Jean is surprised at how polite and nice the conversation is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter tells her very quickly all about how they ran into each other a year ago only and it felt like destiny - to which Lara Jean promptly blushes furiously - and they are both very surprised when Gen laughs amicably and says that in a way she always thought this was a possibility because she knew Peter had liked Lara Jean at some point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She leaves soon to join her own friends and Peter pulls Lara Jean closer, circling her waist with his arms and kissing her forehead. She can still feel some looks on them, but within Peter’s embrace it’s much easier to ignore them all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm glad I no longer have to settle, Lara Jean."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She raises her eyebrows at him and has to think hard about what he means. He doesn't help, fingers caressing her back as he waits for her reaction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then she recalls, on the night they met while watching "Love, Simon", he'd told her she didn't settle for what she didn't want but most people did. That he had, many times with Gen, even.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She smiles and looks up at him, moving her head up as he leans his down, and just before they kiss, she whispers "I can't wait to move in with you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiles against her lips, "and I can't wait for everything that comes after."</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hello there!!! you made it to the end, i hope you enjoyed this. if you did the kudos button is right down there and very easy to use - and if you'd consider letting me know what you thought the comment box is right below that! if you like my fics you can find all of them <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pichitinha/works?fandom_id=42699070">here</a> and you can subscribe to me here on ao3 and get emails every time i post something! if you have tumblr and would like to be informed when there's something new from me just let me know and i will tag you whenever i post (it'll come from <a href="https://pichitinha.tumblr.com/">pichitinha</a>).</p></blockquote></div></div>
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